radiator overflow filling up quick...after agp turbo kit, ect. install

[GILZTSIAWD]

sometimes if you just fill it with water and don't mix in enough antifreeze it will boil over like that because the antifreeze changes the specific heat of the water and makes it get hot quicker and boil...

 

[paul s]

I just went through the same thing, it was the head gasket in my case. When cold the compression was 55psi in cyl#4...when worm it was normal 176.

 

[Defiant]

sometimes if you just fill it with water and don't mix in enough antifreeze it will boil over like that because the antifreeze changes the specific heat of the water and makes it get hot quicker and boil...

Good god, what in the hell do you think you're talking about? WTF

 

[GILZTSIAWD]

water has a lower boiling point than antifreeze does, so if you have all water in there it wont have to get as hot to start boiling....like if he doesn't have a 50/50 mix or somewhere around in there

 

[GILZTSIAWD]

"Ethylene Glycol is an organic liquid called anti-freeze which is added to water to make an aqueous solution of Ethylene Glycol and water. This is to prevent water in the radiator of the vehicle from boiling over. It elevates the boiling point of water. At the same time, anti-freeze will depress the freezing point of that same water to prevent freeze up in the winter, hence the name of the solution, "anti-freeze"." might want to take chemistry again there defiant.

 

[Defiant]

"Ethylene Glycol is an organic liquid called anti-freeze which is added to water to make an aqueous solution of Ethylene Glycol and water. This is to prevent water in the radiator of the vehicle from boiling over. It elevates the boiling point of water. At the same time, anti-freeze will depress the freezing point of that same water to prevent freeze up in the winter, hence the name of the solution, "anti-freeze"." might want to take chemistry again there defiant.

Yeah, I might. Then again, I might use a pressurized cooling system. Short of liquid sodium, nothing carries away heat as well as water. Antifreeze and its additives are for corrosion resistance, electrolysis supression, water pump seal lubrication and raising the freezing point of the water. Antifreeze doesn't significantly affect the ability of the water to absorb heat until you're above 30% AF:water. A 50% mix is for extremely cold temperatures. More than 50% AF begins to significantly reduce the water's ability to absorb heat.

 

[GILZTSIAWD]

but the boiling point of ethylene glycol, or antifreeze, is 387 degrees versus the 212 of water, normal operating temperature for a car is 180-210, car could have easily gotten hotter than that driving hard, having some corrossion in the cooling system, or running straight water after the water had suck up too much heat, making the water rise those 2 extra degrees and making it boil...i never said it didnt suck up the heat as well as antifreeze, just that it boils quicker.

 

[GILZTSIAWD]

btw, last time I checked, my system wasn't pressurized inside of the overflow tank. Also seems odd that if a 50/50 mixture is only for extremely cold places, that mechanic schools in hot places such as Oklahoma and Mississippi are teaching that a 50/50 mixture is ideal? And why would chain stores such as O'Reilly's sell a premixed coolant that is 50/50 in South Mississippi.

 

[dsmpride]

Anyway, getting back to duder's problem. My car and my friend's 3s had similar problems. Niether of our cars were overheating or getting hot, they were just flowing into the overflow tank and overflowing it. Both of us just got new radiator caps and it fixed the problem.

Kent

 

[Defiant]

running straight water after the water had suck up too much heat,

 

[Defiant]

btw, last time I checked, my system wasn't pressurized inside of the overflow tank. Also seems odd that if a 50/50 mixture is only for extremely cold places, that mechanic schools in hot places such as Oklahoma and Mississippi are teaching that a 50/50 mixture is ideal? And why would chain stores such as O'Reilly's sell a premixed coolant that is 50/50 in South Mississippi.

Perhaps because there's more profit in selling coolant than in giving away water?
A gallon jug of the pre-mix topped off with distilled water is ideal in a DSM.

 

[Silver2GST]

My car keeps overheating! I believe its drinking down coolant! there are no coolant puddles under the car, and compression numbers are all 180-190. i keep having to add coolant and it seems to be ok for a day or 2 then it gets hot. no steam out the tail pipe, or coolant smell at idle, as far as i can tell. i replaced the cap and thermostat. the last draw was this weekend on a long trip (4 hours) i had to refill the system 3 times! when it overheats i add coolant and it runs good for a little bit.

I removed the overflow tank when i installed my new filter and MAFT setup during the winter, and just let the overflow hose spray at the tire. Now that it has warmed up it is constantly spraying out the tube and i have to keep adding coolant. (by spraying i mean hot steam and little drops of coolant as it cools down exiting the tube)

Does this have anything to do with it? should i replace the tank? can i use a universal type or must i use the factory? oil looks clean. where is all my coolant going? i can't find any leaks!



History: The car was blowing off coolant hoses. i found that the nipple next to the radator cap (for the overflow) was cloged. unclogged it and now it just keeps sparying out. car was pulling fine but now it falls flat on its face when i try to boost hard. everything points toward a HG but can anyone confirm. Compression test says im okay? whats the deal?

 

[GTM]

My car keeps overheating!
...
History: The car was blowing off coolant hoses. i found that the nipple next to the radator cap (for the overflow) was cloged. unclogged it and now it just keeps sparying out. car was pulling fine but now it falls flat on its face when i try to boost hard. everything points toward a HG but can anyone confirm. Compression test says im okay? whats the deal?

Hmmmm, a block check should be done to eliminate this as a possibility.
...
You got to be kidding, I have had customers tell me what is wrong with their car and made those repairs because they "knew" more than me for they had consulted xyz. How is anyone supposed to answer...

Cheers,
GTM

 

[Defiant]

I removed the overflow tank

Uh.... that's an expansion tank. For when the coolant heats up. So it has somewhere to go, and so you don't SUCK AIR INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM WHEN IT COOLS DOWN.

Which will cause a car to overheat.

 

[Silver2GST]

D'Oh

Well i guess that takes cares of that. I will reinstall the 'expansion' tank today and hopfully be rid of this problem.

GTM-What do you mean? I'm sorry if i worded the question wrong, But this was an honest question. i thought i read somewhere you didn't need the tank and thats not the case i learn now. sorry if it was real stupied How can i preform a block check? drop the oil pan? sorry man, i know my DSMs, but i just want some professional advice.

Thanks guys!

 

[marcmsj]

How can i preform a block check? drop the oil pan?
Thanks guys!

yes, then take a hammer and hit everything you see under there. WTF

 

[240kid]

wow old thread...I just replaced my rad fan with a flex a lite and I run much cooler now. O yea i also changed my fluid and mixed 1/2 distilled water and 1/2 coolant. But it does overheat when the AC is turned on, and no I dont have an AC fan.

 

[Talesin]

I'm actually pretty sure that I have a fried thermo too. Temp gauge never goes above 1/4, hot or cold outside. But I'm still losing coolant like crazy... and it's getting worse. Initially I'd lose maybe a half-pint, now I'm up to a full 16oz glass every other day or so.

Need to replace the radiator cap, even if it looks new. What pressure should I pick up, if there are multiple? I couldn't find anything in the owner's manual, and the one I have on at the moment is a 13psi. Kinda want to get a flip-lever one, just so I can vent it without hand-risk and add more water. Or would that be monumentally stupid? I mean, the reservoir already gets the highest-temp stuff flowing into it on overheat, though I guess it'd be a lot less than all the pressure in the system, normally. :b

Also, might be a stupid question.. but why would the thermo going bad cause it to overheat? Just not turning the cooling fans on soon enough? And where would I find a replacement, without Mitsu or Ye Local Partes Shoppe #1438 taking a big bite of my wallet (as usual)?

 

[SinEclipse]

a thermostat is very cheap around 15 bucks or cheaper. at any auto store near you.

 

[Talesin]

Hope so. It's getting routine at this point (and irritating because of that) to find something like a control arm that was bent by the last owner, and need to shell out around 250 for a new one, or forty for a new marker light. I'll have to swing by Autozone once they're open, and see if that fixes the problem up.


Still curious as to if it'd be a bad idea to get a safety lever-vent radiator cap, and/or why it overheats so much with a dead thermo. Never realizes that it's warmed up or something, so the ECU is always in closed mode, trying to heat the engine for regular driving?

 

[Defiant]

Still curious as to if it'd be a bad idea to get a safety lever-vent radiator cap,

Not a bad idea per se, but a pointless one. Firstly, you should never be opening a hot engine's cooling system, and secondly, radiator caps have a "stop" which will hold it on when you get to the pressure release point.

and/or why it overheats so much with a dead thermo.

Because it may not be opening enough to allow full coolant circulation.

 

[Talesin]

Not mine. If I turn it, it just sits there until the push and twist, at which point it goes everywhere. :b The leverlock retracts the retaining spring, allowing all of it to go through the overflow pipe, discharging the pressure without risking a scald (except maybe on your feet).

And what may not be opening? The thermostat didn't appear to be a restrictor in the coolant path, just a temperature probe.

 

[Loxias]

The thermostat is designed to open and close to allow coolant to flow through the system as the car gets hot. It definitely acts as a restrictor.

 

[Gabe92RTTT]

I have a 91 Laser RS Turbo that is overheating. I purchased the car from another individual who couldn't figure out the problem and I want your opinions on what it might be before I tear it apart. The car has a newly rebuilt motor (50 miles or so) and a brand new head. The car will idle all day long without a problem but it is pushing coolant out of the overflow while driving. Eveuntually it pushes all the coolant out and the fans stop working and the things start to get hot.

Things I have replaced/tried:

-water pump
-tstat (2)
-radiator
-radiator cap (2)
-flushed block for 10 min with hose
-burped system
-radiator hoses

I really don't know what else could be causing this. Somehow the system is getting too much pressure and I think it isn't circulating through the block. Could the coolant passages in the block be plugged? Is there any solvents I can put in the system to loosen and get rid of any buildup?

Any other ideas?

Thanks for the help as I am totally at a loss here.

Gabe

 

[TURFNNSURF]

Sounds to me like the head gasket didn't seal properly. I would check the torque on the head bolts, make sure none of them has loosened. I just went through this and it was two very small leaks from cylinder 1 and 4 into coolant passages. My car would idle all day just fine, but as soon as I drove and and made any boost over 15psi it would push coolant out the overflow. One new head gasket and some ARP's and I'm happily boosting 24psi daily without a single drop of coolant pushed.